Newsletter #10 - AutoArchive and Rebooting

Microsoft Outlook AutoArchive

Recently we have had a few clients whose Outlook data files were becoming extremely large, causing problems with the computer. As Outlook PST files approach 2 GB in size, they begin to cause catastrophic problems. Rather than worry about the size of your PST file, the best thing to do is to set up AutoArchiving.

What AutoArchive does is move older emails, appointments, tasks, etc. into a storage file that can be easily accessed, but which doesn't have to be read by Outlook every time you open Outlook. This can help you not only reduce your PST size, but store valuable information over the long term in smaller chunks. Personally, I like to create a new archive PST file each year so that the PST files also don't get to be too big. This has the added advantage of breaking down my archive files into chronological chunks.

If you're interested in setting up Outlook's AutoArchive feature, give us a call to set up an appointment.

Rebooting Your Computer - What is it? When do I do it? Why should I do it?

A while back, I taught a computer troubleshooting class for senior citizens at Richland. Over the course of 5 weeks, I drilled one thing into their minds more than anything else - The number one troubleshooting technique for technical issues is to reboot your computer. Rebooting your computer is kind of like wiping down your kitchen counters. It can prevent all sorts of problems, and assuming that you have family members who like to prepare their own meals but don't necessarily clean up after themselves, wiping those kitchen counters can prevent all sorts of unexpected problems (bacteria, leftover jalapeño juice changing the taste of your chocolate chip cookies, etc.).

Some of you might be willing to concede at this point that rebooting your computer sounds like a good idea, but you're not sure how to proceed. Rebooting your computer is synonymous to turning your computer off (or shutting down) and then back on, or restarting your computer. So, for all of you Windows users, you can click on your Start button (the one in the lower left corner of your screen with the Windows logo) and choose to Restart your computer. Mac users can choose Restart from their Apple menu.

As for when you should reboot your computer - I can think of two primary times. The first, as you might surmise from how I started this topic, is when you're having a problem with your computer or a program. You'd be surprised how often I get a call from a client who hasn't tried this method yet, and after performing this step, they find that their problem has been solved. I would also recommend rebooting your computer daily if you tend to leave your computer on 24/7. With high speed Internet connections and a growing reliance on these machines, most of us leave our computers on all the time so that they're ready for us as soon as we need them. Rebooting them daily is a great preventive measure.

By the way, this is a principal that applies to other technological devices. Having trouble with your Internet connection? Try restarting your router and / or modem. Having trouble with your mobile phone, try restarting it. You'd be surprised at the number of devices that have computer chips that just need a moment's rest. Try rebooting those devices and you'll love finding out how many problems you're able to fix without anyone else's help!

Interesting Links

• Inbox Zero
  If you find yourself dealing with a high volume of email, this video is a great investment in how to deal with the massive amounts of email most of us get every day. The first 30 minutes is great, then there's a pretty good question / answer session.
• Keep your kids safe online
  If you've got kids and you've got the Internet, you might want to read through this series of articles that cover everything from safe browsing to cyberbullying

Closing Thoughts

Those students at Richland came to expect me to ask them "What is the number one computer troubleshooting technique?" Those of you who have received this newsletter for any amount of time are probably expecting me to remind you to regularly back up your computers. I'd hate to disappoint you. If you don't have a system for regularly backing up your data, please give us a call to setup an appointment. Don't wait until it's too late!

We hope you all have a great week, and please let us know how we can serve you.

Don and Aaron

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